Farmers beam with joy as wheat yield good

With the harvest of wheat in full swing, the farmers of char (landmass emerging from riverbed) areas in the Jamuna and Bangalee rivers in Sariakandi upazila under the district are happy with good yield and expected price of the crop this season.

Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said 1,740 hectares of land in the upazila has been brought under wheat cultivation this season.

The farmers have cultivated Sourav, Bijoy, BARI-25, 26, 27 and 28 varieties of hybrid wheat, DAE sources said, adding that most of the families in Jamuna and Bangalee basin areas in 12 unions of the upazila cultivated the crop as the area is suitable for the purpose.

Moklesur Rahman of Char Batia in Sadar union said he has cultivated wheat on three bighas of land and got 7-8 maunds of yield per bigha.

"Fertiliser and irrigation cost Tk 3500-3800 per bigha. I expect profit of Tk 1500-2000 per bigha as wheat is selling at around Tk 750 per maund," he said.

Porimal Roy, a farmer of Char Majhira under Bohail union of the upazila, said he has cultivated wheat on 75 decimal of land after harvesting lentil and other crops.

Wheat cultivation is more profitable than that of paddy, he said.

Increasing number of farmers are showing interest in wheat cultivation in the chars as they can cultivate jute after reaping wheat there, said Md Kamruzzaman, upazila agriculture officer of Sariakandi.